China-based company loses $600,000 in frozen Musang King durian scam

Datuk M. Kumar, police chief of the Malaysian state of Johor, said in a statement Tuesday that its manager, a Chinese national, filed a police report after his company transferred RM2.6 million to a suspect to buy 3,840 cartons of frozen Musang King durian from Malaysia but never received the goods, as reported by The Star.

He previously met with the suspect, another Chinese national, and agreed to the deal after he was convinced that the person had the approved permit required to import the fruit into China, Kumar explained.

The permit was reportedly owned by a Malaysian fruit import and export company, he added.

Following the suspect’s instructions, the firm transferred the payment to another Malaysia-based company's bank account on July 5 and was promised the goods within a month, the Malay Mail reported.

The firm later grew suspicious as no products were delivered and the suspect could not be contacted.

The manager asked a friend in Malaysia to find the company that holds the permit the suspect claimed to have, but that company denied any dealings with the Chinese business.

He then traveled to the country himself to lodge the police report as the suspect had used a bank account belonging to a Malaysia-based company.

The case is being investigated under Section 420 for cheating and Section 411 of the Penal Code for handling stolen property, according to Malaysian newspaper NST Online.

Kumar advised the public to exercise caution when engaging with unfamiliar individuals or companies and verify their credentials and backgrounds through relevant authorities before making any payments.